The present invention is in the field of telephony communications and network bridging services and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus for controlling data-conversion capability and protocol-command compatibility for network-bridging services.
The field of telephony now includes connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) systems, which are the well-known conventional intelligent networks provided by major telephone companies, as well as data network telephony (DNT), which are the computer-simulated telephone services provided typically in the Internet, by virtue of rather recent technology contributed to the art enabling transparent bridging between a COST telephony network and a Data-Packet-Network (DPN) like the Internet. With the advent of such technologies, ISPs have become more prevalent and much more competitive with one another. A typical ISP provides Internet connection services for clients operating Internet-capable appliances enabled to connect to the Internet over usually telephone lines. However, with many more ISPs competing for clients, value-added services (VAS) have been developed in accordance with available and emerging technologies. One of these services is a capability of bridging a COST network to an Internet Protocol (IP) network for bi-directional data and voice communication.
In current art, ISPs use a typically standard set of system units or nodes to provide connectivity and telephony bridging services. One of these system nodes is termed a portmaster in the art, and another is commonly referred to as a Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) Gateway. These nodes are more commonly referred to as network gateways or bridges. In typical implementation, one local telephone company (TELCO) carrier, which may be registered as an Incumbent-Local-Exchange-Carrier (ILEC), an Inter-Carrier-Exchange (ICX), or a Competing-Local-Exchange-Carrier (CLEC) operates switching apparatus, which may be a Public Access Branch Exchange (PABX), or another compatible switching apparatus. The PABX hosted by a local TELCO carrier is typically connected to the Portmaster nodes and the VoIP nodes of an ISP providing bridging services as described above. A plurality of PABX or other compatible switching apparatus are interconnected in the telephony network, but are hosted by separate TELCOs and are connected to separate ISP system-nodes.
More recently, many ISPs have registered as CLECs for the purpose of being able to charge other TELCOs for connection termination services. Such ISPs use the acquired fees to subsidize other standard services. A well-known standard SS-7 protocol (defined in the ITU intelligent networks and Bell standards) is typically employed between connected switches of competing TELCOs. In standard practice, an originating TELCO charges a customer for call origination and call delivery. However, the delivery share of the customer""s bill is regulated to go to a receiving TELCO or in this case an ISP registered as a CLEC. If an ISP registered as a CLEC provides VoIP services, it would have to pay termination fees, for example, to a receiving TELCO registered as an ILEC for calls delivered to the telephone network. The fees, charged back and forth by these entities work to elevate telephone-connection costs and ISP services to customers.
What is clearly needed is a virtual switch-and-command system for providing data processing and routing instruction directly to network gateway nodes according to prevalent protocols, thus eliminating the need for a local TELCO switch. Such a method would enable cost savings related to the equipment costs, maintenance costs, and connection termination costs associated with a local switch. Cost savings realized may be passed on to customers creating a more competitive and attractive service provider.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention an Internet service provider (ISP) system registered as a Competing-Local-Exchange-Carrier (CLEC) is provided, comprising a channel bank for receiving calls from a connection oriented switched telephony (COST) network, and separating the calls into separate channels; at least one VoIP gateway connected to an Internet router and to one channel of the channel bank for converting voice call data between a COST protocol and Internet protocol; at least one portmaster (PM) node connected to the Internet router and to one channel of the channel bank for converting non-voice data between the COST protocol and the Internet protocol; and a computer station executing a virtual switch (VS) software, the computer station connected to the Internet router and to the channel bank. The system is characterized in that the computer station controls, via the VS software, the channel bank for separating the COST calls into the separate channels, and also receives and shares SS-7 commands and data with the VoIP gateway and the PM node via the Internet router connected to the PM node and the VoIP gateway, thereby avoiding use of a telephony switching apparatus for receiving and routing calls from the COST network.
In another aspect of the invention a method for handling voice and non-voice data calls at an Internet Service Provider (ISP) site between a connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) network and the Internet, without handling the COST calls by a COST switch local to the ISP site is provided, the method comprising steps of (a) substituting a channel bank for the COST switching apparatus local to the ISP; (b) operating the channel bank by a computer station in the ISP site, the computer station executing a virtual switch software, to channel incoming COST calls to individual ones of Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) and Portmaster gateways connected to an Internet router; and (c) sharing SS-7 commands and data from the COST network with the VoIP and Portmaster gateways by the computer station through a link to the Internet router.
The method and apparatus of the invention, taught in enabling detail below in several embodiments, for the first time provides a system for eliminating use of a local telephone switch for handling calls to individual gateways in an ISP.